Plane crash in Turkey as teams scramble to find ejected pilot

A WAR plane has crashed in Turkey sparking an emergency mission to find the pilot.

PUBLISHED: 17:36, Sat, Mar 4, 2017
| UPDATED: 18:58, Sat, Mar 4, 2017

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The MiG-23 warplane crashed on the Syrian side - it is believed

Turkey confirmed the craft most likely belongs to the Syrian air force.

The MiG-23 warplane came hurtling down on the Syrian side of the border after the pilot reportedly bailed out, the country's Prime Minister said.

But Turkish governors told Anatolian news agency a rescue team had reached the remains of the plane, which suggested it might have come down on the Turkish side of the long and wending frontier.

There were no pilots in the wreckage.

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Soldiers patrolling the Turkey border with Syria

Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said a search was under way for the pilot - who could have come down over Turkey.

The Syrian Army later confirmed it is one of its own fleet, stating contact was lost with the jet during a reconnaissance mission.

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Prime Minister Binali Yildirim claims the plane came down on the Syrian side

It's not clear why the plane crashed. It may be due to weather conditions

Binali Yildirim

"It's not clear why the plane crashed. It may be due to weather conditions," he said.

"The MiG-23, believed to have been owned by the Syrian regime, crashed on the Syrian side of the border.

"The pilot may have bailed out and come down on either side.... A search and rescue operation is under way.

A new border wall was recently built by the Turkish government between its own nation and Syria.

Jihadis travelling have used the route through Turkey when travelling to and from Europe.

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